Anemia During Pregnancy

Though pregnancy for women is a cause of profound joy and unparalleled happiness, it is also a very difficult time in their lives. There might be several health issues that accompany pregnancy and one of these is anemia. The development of anemia during pregnancy is very common and affects a lot of women. This article will try and explore what this condition is all about, what it does to a woman's health, and what one can do to make it easier to deal with. So if you're planning on getting pregnant soon or have just conceived, read the following article to find out more about this condition and its varied signs and symptoms.

It becomes imperative that one takes especially good care of their health during pregnancy. That is why it is important to know whether one is anemic, so that it can be taken care of early on. If this is not done, it can lead to a lot of complications.

The Details

Anemia makes way during pregnancy because the production of the red blood cells becomes less. Red blood cells are extremely important for our functioning because they are responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to all other parts of the body. Therefore, if there is less production of red blood cells, then the body cannot function as well as it should. During pregnancy the production of the red blood cells should increase so that it can provide for the mother and the baby, when this does not happen, it causes anemia.

This condition is quite common in pregnant women, more common than you'd like to believe. Women are basically more prone to being anemic than men because they lose blood (and thereby iron) during menstruation. So if a woman is basically anemic and has done nothing to correct that condition, she is at a higher risk of having severe anemia while she is pregnant. Even if women are not anemic, they might develop anemia especially during pregnancy.

Types of Anemia

Iron Deficiency Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia that affect pregnant women. This type of anemia is brought about due to a decline in the hemoglobin levels in the blood. The hemoglobin levels go down automatically because of an increase in the blood volume - which increases by about 45 percent during a woman's pregnancy. This happens because of an increase in the blood plasma (fluid portion of blood). During the first half of the pregnancy, the levels of blood plasma increase more rapidly than the volumes of red blood cells and therefore a distinct drop of red blood cell count in the body can be seen. If there is not enough iron to fuel the red blood cells, then the development of anemia will follow.

It is very difficult to increase the levels of iron dramatically during pregnancy because the body needs twice the amount of iron than it did before. Changing one's diet to include iron-rich food will no doubt help, but it will probably not be enough. In such a case, the mother-to-be might be asked to take iron supplements in accompaniment of a healthy diet.

Illness or Disease

Sickle-Cell Anemia: Sickle cell anemia is caused by the production of abnormal hemoglobin in the body. Due to which, the red blood cells develop a 'C' shape (Sickle shape). These abnormal cells do not have the ability to last as long as the normal red blood cells do and they usually collapse after 15-20 days. It is impossible for the bone marrow to make new red blood cells fast enough in order to replace the dying ones. Which then leads to anemia.

Thalassemia: Thalassemia is not as common as the sickle cell condition. In this condition, the body does not produce the required amounts of protein that make up the red blood cells and therefore the quality of the red blood cells is severely affected. Thus leading to anemia.

The other reasons that could lead to anemia during pregnancy are the deficiency of folic acid or Vitamin B12. Now that you know what anemia entails, take care of your health and see that you do not let this condition affect you. Being aware of the risks and thereby avoiding them, is the most effective way of dealing with the problem.